ThunderStrikes: Book One- Brambles and Ferns
by Willowsplash
Summary: Takes place 10 moons after Firestar's death. ThunderClan is striving. New kits have been born, more apprentices, and lots more warriors. Follow Fernpaw and ThunderClan through the first leaf-bare after Firestar's death, and see what happens. Please review!
1. ThunderClan

_**ThunderClan:**_

Leader-Bramblestar

Deputy-Squirrelflight

Medicine Cat- Jayfeather

Apprentice-Dewpaw

Warriors-

Lionblaze

Bumblestripe

Leafpool

Cloudtail

Thornclaw

App-Brownpaw

Brightheart

Seedstripe

Amberheart

Snowfrost

Poppyfrost

Mousewhisker

App-Oakpaw

Berrynose

Hazeltail

Molefoot

Sandstorm

Dustpelt

Graystripe

Brackenfur

App-Antpaw

Braiarlight

Blossomfall

Rosepetal

Dovewing

Spiderleg

Millie

Toadstep

Ivypool

Foxleap

App-Fernpaw

Apprentices-

Dewpaw- gray tom with amber eyes, med cat apprentice

Brownpaw- brown she-cat with black leaf shaped spots and green eyes

Oakpaw- fox colored she-cat with blue eyes, white splashes and long fur

Antpaw- black tom with white stripe on back and blue eyes

Fernpaw- dappled tortiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes and long fur

Queens-

Cherryleaf- Foxleap's mate. Mother of Flamekit- ginger tom with blue eyes, and Stormkit- white and gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Cinderheart- Lionblaze's mate. Mother of Sunkit- golden-brown tabby she-cat with fluffy fur and amber eyes, and Rockkit-slender, dappled, smokey gray she-cat with dark blue eyes

Lilypelt- Mousewhisker's mate. Mother of Lightningkit- pale ginger tom, with white paws, amber eyes, and a fluffy tail

Elders- Purdy


	2. Prolouge

_**Prolouge:**_

A yowl started Fernpaw from her sleep. She padded swiftly from her den and nosed her way into the nursery. Fernpaw let her eyes adjust to the dark nursery lighting. She saw a small ginger she-cat in the corner.

"Cherryleaf! What's wrong?"the apprentice mewed.

"It's Stormkit. She's dead." meowed Lilypelt

The tortiseshell apprentice was shocked. She licked Cherryleaf's head and bolted from the den, out of the camp. She followed the faint scent trail of the dawn patrol heading to WindClan border. She leaped over a fallen tree, and landed. Then she was bowled over by a brown tabby tom.

"Dad! Get off me" she hissed. Bramblestar lept off.

"Sorry Fernpaw! I thought you were a WindClan cat. So..why are you here?" he mewed

"Where is Foxleap" she asked.

"Right here!" a voice called out. Moments later the bracken shook, revealing a fox-colored tom.

"Cherryleaf and Stormkit-"she started. But the tom was already running back to the camp.

As the apprentice and leader pelted back to camp behind Foxleap, they smelled the dawn hunting patrol.

"I will get them" Fernpaw meowed to her father

She raced after the patrol, and ran into a pale ginger flank.

"Seedstripe! Go to camp! Bramblestar wants every cat there" she hissed

The she-cat shot off.

Fernpaw followed the scent trail of her sisters Oakpaw and Brownpaw. She found them hauling a squirrel. She shook her head and grabbed the squirrel. It was a fluffy one, and heavy.

"Come on! Dad needs us at camp!" she growled through the fur. The other apprentices helped the tortiseshell take it to camp. They quickly arrived at camp.

Foxleap was nosing his mate out of the nursery. She was holding Stormkit. Fernpaw padded up to her mentor and nuzzled his flank.

"I'm so sorry Foxleap!" she wailed.

"It's not your fault" her mentor mewed back.

Molefoot padded over to Cherryleaf and nuzzled her head.

The brown and cream tom trotted over to Fernpaw.

"Help me prepare Stormkit for the vigil" he meowed.

The she-cat nodded, to overcome with grief to speak. She padded to Jayfeather's den to get rosemary to rub the kit with. The blind tom had it in his jaws when she arrived.

"Here" he meowed, dropping it in front of her.

She picked it up and nodded.

Molefoot was rubbing the tabby she-cat with lavender when she arrived. The apprentice helped the tom rub in the herbs.

Bramblestar leapt up on Highledge.

All the cats gathered in the center of camp.

"This has been a tragic event for the Clan. Jayfeather confirmed green-cough killed Stormkit. Her family shall sit vigil till moonfall, then we will pay our last respects." he mewed, his voice thick with grief.

Purdy and Flamekit padded out of camp with Stormkit.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting" Bramblestar's voice rang around the hollow.

All the cats padded slowly from their dens.

"Oakpaw, Brownpaw, Fernpaw and Antpaw, please step forward."

The four siblings stepped forward.

"I, Bramblestar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" he mewed, pride sparkling in his eyes as he gazed at his kits.

"I do" they meowed back.

"Then by the power invested in me I give you your warrior names. Fernpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Fernfeather. The Clan welcomes you, and thanks you for your loyalty and speed. Oakpaw, you will be known as Oaksplash. Welcome to ThunderClan, and may your fearlessness help you. Brownpaw, you will be known as Brownleaf now. The Clan in your greatest gift, and you will help them with your amazing tracking skills. Antpaw, you shall be known as Antfoot. Welcome, little warrior to ThunderClan, and may your size help in rough times."he mewed, touching each of his kits heads.

"Fernfeather! Oaksplash! Brownleaf! Antfoot! Fernfeather! Oaksplash! Brownleaf! Antfoot!"the Clan called out. The four kits looked proud. Their parents were fussing over them as usual.

"Squirrelflight! They are warriors now." Bramblestar purred.

**Please review! Tell me how I could improve! Thanks.**

**My co-writer is Frostheart. She doesn't have an account(yet...*evil laugh*) She is my best friend in real life. And maybe she will write some chapters. I dont know yet. But if she does, I will mention it. -X- Willowsplash**


	3. Chapter 1- The Fox

Fernfeather heard Squirrelflight calling out hunting patrol.

"Toadstep! Fernfeather! Go on hunting patrol please!" she called out.

"Okay mom!" Fernfeather mewed back.

Toadstep padded up to the dappled she-cat. Together, they strided from camp, heading for the lake.

"I like you Fernfeather" Toadstep meowed. Fernfeather blinked, surprised. She had feelings for him too, but she didn't want to admit it "I understand if you don't like me either. I mean...well.." he stuttered.

"Are you kidding me?" she hissed. "I feel the same about you! I was to nervous to tell you though."

Toadstep shoved her to the ground and wheeled around. His hackles were raised and his lips drawn into a snarl. A fox burst out of the ferns in front of the cats. Fernfeather was surprised. Toadstep leapt up, and clawed the fox's muzzle. The fox grabbed him in it's jaws. Fernfeather bolted up from her spot, and swerved around the fox. She ran into the ferns behind the fox.

Toadstep heard a rustle above him, and a blur of fur dropped down on the fox's back. Claws flashed into the fox's eyes, making the red animal go blind. It dropped Toadstep to the ground. Toadstep leapt up to attack it, but the fox had wheeled on Fernfeather. She was snarling, her tail lashing from side to side. Her long fur was fluffed up twice it's size. The fox lunged, grabbing the she-cat's tail in it's mouth. The she-cat turned around, her eyes wide, and lashed out at the fox's nose. The fox let go of the she-cat and raced away.

"Are you okay Fernfeather?" Toadstep asked, worried.

"Yes, just some torn fur and a few scratches." The she-cat hissed back, obviously in pain.

Toadstep licked the wounds on his shoulder. The two cats padded to camp.

"Where is the prey? I know leaf-bare is starting, but I didn't expect prey to be hiding already!" Squirrelflight shreiked.

"Mom! There was a fox in the territory. Toadstep and I were attacked!" she growled back. Toadstep padded from Jayfeather's den.

"Let me report this" he whispered in her ear. "Go get patched up"

Fernfeather padded to the medicine cat den.

"Jayfeather!" she called.

The blind tom padded from his herb storage. He raced to the she-cat when he smelled blood.

"Put these on the wounds" he mewed.

Fernfeather listened to him. But when Jayfeather padded out, he smelled fresh blood. The she-cat crumpled to the den floor, blood leaking from a wound on her stomach.

"Fernfeather! Fernfeather!" he yowled.

Bramblestar, Toadstep and Oaksplash burst into the den.

"No! Fernfeather!" Toadstep wailed.

"Dewpaw!" Bramblestar called out. The gray tom poked his head from the herb storage. " Go with Sandstorm and Brownleaf to find Squirrelflight and Antfoot. They went on patrol to ShadowClan's border." The gray tom pelted from the den.

"My kit!" Squirrelflight wailed when she saw Fernfeather.

The blood had continued to seep out, forming a pool around the she-cat.


	4. Chapter 2- Rowanstar

"Mom, she's a fighter. If any cat can pull through, you know it's her" Oaksplash mewed.

"Yes! Oaksplash is right. So, Toadstep, Bramblestar wants you on patorl, so leave!" the blind gray tom mewed.

"Never!" Toadstep growled and he lunged at Jayfeather. The medicine cat reflexively lashed out with his claws, catching the black and white tom on his ear.

"Stop!" a loud voice rang out, and the two toms turned to see Bramblestar. "Toadstep! Patrol! Now!"

Toadstep growled and stormed out of the den. He scampered back and licked Fernfeather's head.

"Get well soon my love" he murmured.

Toadstep tried to rush through the patrol. He was going so fast that he almost missed the rouge scents on the border. _I wouldn't be surprised if they recruited some rouges after the battle._He thought to himself. He thought back to nursery tales of Tigerstar and Brokentail. He thought for a moment. _It could be rouges attacking our camp, or Rowanstar collecting rouges to attack our camp!_ Toadstep thought. He raced back to camp.

"Bramblestar!" he yowled. He turned in time to see a russet colored tom burst through the tunnel. The tom was looking genuinly surprised.

"Get out!" Toadstep yowled as he leapt at the tom. He fell on the tom's shoulders.

"Toadstep! Get off Rowanstar!" Bramblestar hissed.

"Oh, sorry Rowanstar." the black and white tom muttered.

The two leaders disappeared to Bramblestar's den. It felt like moons to Toadstep before Rowanstar was padding out of the camp. Bramblestar opened his mouth, then closed it, noticing all the cats in the clearing.

"Rowanstar came with an offer. Give him the rocky ledge at the Twoleg border, or get our camp attacked. We have a fourth of a moon to decide." murmuring broke out upon the cats.

"I don't know what to do Squirrelflight!" Bramblestar whispered to his deputy.

"Just let them have it!"Toadstep hissed.

"Then we will seem weak" Bramblestar countered.

"But if they attack, they might attack Fernfeather! You know very well she won't be fine within the allotted time!" Toadstep yowled, becoming angrier by the second.

"Very well! Take a patrol and tell him!" Bramblestar mewed.

"Oaksplash and...Leafpool. Come on!"

The cats padded from camp, and raced through the trees. They reached ShadowClan territory and padded wearily through it. They reached the camp and all the cats were overwhelmed by the scent of rouge.

"What happened" snarled Leafpool.

"I don't know" Toadstep hissed back.

Rowanstar met them in the middle of the camp.

"Well, well, well. Has Bramblestar made his decision?" The tom asked, an evil glint in his eyes.

"Yes. You get the ridge, but no more." Toadstep mewed.

"Now, we are leaving" Oaksplash snarled. The three cats raced from camp and to their camp. Toadstep grabbed a shrew from the fresh-kill pile and padded to the medicine den.

"Fernfeather! She's gone!" Jayfeather yowled.

**Love ya Frostheart! Bae! Anyways, she helped me write some of this. She's the genius who came up with Rowanstar asking for territory. :D **


	5. Chapter 3- Kits

"Noo!" Toadstep dropped the shrew and raced to the medicine cat den.

"Think! Where could she be?"Toadstep mewed

"Try right behind you" a voice murmured in his ear. He wheeled around and saw Fernfeather

"Where were you?"he yowled

"Try helping your sister settle into the nursery."she replied.

"Oh."Toadstep mewed. "Jayfeather! Dad! She's right here. She was helping Rosepetal."

"Thank StarClan" the two toms muttered.

The twos toms touched noses with Fernfeather.

"I'm going to hunt"the tortiseshell she-cat mewed as she padded out of the den.

"The Antfoot and Toadstep are going with you" Bramblestar called after her.

"Fine!" she called back.

The two toms caught up to her

**Moon Later**

"Fernfeather!" Toadstep called.

"Yes?" The she-cat muttered.

"Rosepetal had her kits!" the tom purred, and jumped up. He ran a few laps around the clearing and camp to a stop at the nursery entrance. "Come on!"

"Hey Molefoot." Fernfeather mewed.

"So, what are their names?" Toadstep asked.

"This black tom with fluffy fur is Emberkit. The silver tabby she-cat with black ears and a black tail tip is Hailkit. The ginger tabby she-cat is Applekit. The black tom with gray tabby stripes is Shadekit." Molefoot meowed, gazing proudly at his four kits.

"They are adorable Molefoot" Fernfeather mewed. "Want me to get Rosepetal and you a mouse or two?"

"Please" the tom replied.

Fernfeather and Toadstep padded from the nursery. They trotted from the camp to hunt. Fernfeather launched herself in the air and camp crashing down with a sparrow fluttering in her paws. She nipped it's neck and it stopped moving. The she-cat buried it under the frost-eatten ferns.

"Leaf-bare will be here soon." she mewed.

Toadstep flicked the tip of his tail and got into a hunter's crouch. He slowly stalked forward then leapt. He landed on a young rabbit and swiftly bit it's neck.

"Come on, let's take this to the nursery." His eyes shone with pride when he mentioned his sister's kits.

Fernfeather uncovered her sparrow and picked it up.

"Race you." she meowed through the mouth full of feathers. She bolted off, her paws skimming the leaves. She plunged through the thorn barrier around the camp and stopped to catch her breath. Then she ran to the nursery.

"Here."she purred. "Toadstep is bringing a rabbit."

She nosed her way out of the den while Toadstep nosed his way in.

"I am going to talk to Jayfeather. Meet you at the lakeshore?" she mewed.

Toadstep nodded.

"Jayfeather!" the she-cat mewed as she nosed her way through the bramble barrier of the medicine cat den. "Hey. Can you...um...see if..um...I might be expecting kits?" She muttered

"Yea, just lay down" the tom replied. He moved his paw to her flank and pressed down. She bit her tongue to keep from crying out.

"You are expecting kits. You are about a moon and a half in. It feels like three, maybe four." the tom purred. "Who's are they?" he asked, curiosity shinning in his eyes.

"Toadstep's" she muttered.

"Well, congratulations! Even though it will be leaf-bare soon, I think the kits will be fine. See you later" he chirped as the she-cat shook her pelt.

The tortiseshell padded form camp and towards the lake. She waded through a shallow stream, not enjoying the way the current tugged at her long fur, and the chilly water seeped through her fur. She leapt out and shook her pelt. The long speckled fur still streamed water.

Fernfeather growled and padded up the slope. She looked down and saw Toadstep. He was flicking pebbles in the lake. She purred, remembering that he was her unborn kits' father.

She stalked up on the black and white tom. He didn't even flick his ears. He obviously didn't know she was there. She growled playfully as she leapt on the tom. He shook her off easily and flung himself at her, pinning her down. He licked her chest fur and let her up.

"So, what do you want to tell me?"he whispered.

"Toadstep..."she murmured.

"What, my love"

"I'm expecting your kits." she purred.

"That's great! You are moving into the nursery as soon as we get back!" he purred.

"No!" she shrieked. "I don't want to quit my duties now. I am only one and a half moons in. Give me half a moon. Please?"she begged.

"Okay, that's all!" he purred.

The she-cat rubbed her head under his chin. _I love you so much Toadstep! _She thought.

Toadstep wrapped his tail protectively around his mate's flank. _Kits! I'm going to be a father!_ He thought excitedly.

The two cats padded up the shore, and paused at the tree line.

"Why don't we make some nests right here and sleep out here tonight?" Fernfeather mewed. Toadstep purred his agreement. Fernfeather dug a shallow dip between the tree roots of an oak. Toadstep gathered moss and ferns from a near-by tree. The two cats fixed their nest up.

"I will go hunt" Toadstep mewed, padding off. He came back a few moments later with a water vole. The two mates shared the water vole and talked through the night. Fernfeather curled up against Toadstep and fell asleep, her tail wrapped around her muzzle.

_I am the luckiest tom alive_ Toadstep thought.

**Well? This was a fun chapter. Thanks Frostheart! You supported me with this one! You to Runningtail! Rainclaw! Graystream! (check my profile for who these cats are)**


	6. Chapter 4- ShadowClan

A moon had past and Fernfeather had begged Toadstep to let her have a quarter moon. He agreed.

Toadstep padded to the new ShadowClan border, hissing when he saw a black she-cat and a mottled brown she-cat at the rise. The two cats plunged down the slope and flung themselves at the ThunderClan patrol.

Brackenfur hissed and expertly flicked his paw. The black she-cat looked bewildered, then screamed in agony. Brackenfur had sliced open her nose. Dark red blood welled up and splattered the dead leaves under-paw.

A white she-cat flicked her tail. A dark gray tom, light brown tabby tom, and black tom plunged down the slope. Toadstep growled. He flung himself at the white  
she-cat.

"Snowbird!" he growled. "Get off ThunderClan territory before we shred your patrol to pieces!" the tom flicked his tail and a cream tom leaped out of the cover of brambles. A gray she-cat, followed by a dark gray tom darted out.

"Dewpaw!" mewed a surprised voice. Then the voice spat "Run back to your Twolegs Smokefoot!" The warrior, Smokefoot, growled and lunged at the cat's throat. He sank his teeth in.

The white cat shrieked in horror and stopped moving almost instantly. Smokefoot dropped the cat from his grasp.

"Snowfrost!" Dewpaw screeched. The white she-cat slithered to the ground.

The dark gray apprentice flung himself at Smokefoot, slicing his claws down the tom's muzzle. He wheeled around and dived under the large tom. A shriek of agony erupted from Smokefoot as blood streamed from his underbelly. Dewpaw glared at the tom, with pity in his eyes.

"That's for killing my sister!" he yowled. Smokefoot flopped to the ground. He drew in a shuttering breath, and stopped. The dark gray ShadowClan warrior had died.

A tortiseshell she-cat flung herself at Toadstep. The black and white tom whipped around. He crouched down and flicked his tail agitatedly.

The she-cat threw herself at the tom, plunging a claw into his shoulder. Toadstep growled. He reared up on his hind legs, and came crashing down. He dived under the she-cat, and scratched her forepaws with his claws. The she-cat whipped her claws into the tom's chest fur.

Toadstep bit the she-cat's leg. The she-cat withdrew her paw, and hurtled away.

The last of ShadowClan disappeared over the ridge.

Fronds rustled as five cats burst from the trees.

"Toadstep!" One of the cats yowled. A tortiseshell she-cat leaped over the fallen tree, and landed next to Toadstep. The tom looked into the grief-stricken face of his mate, Fernfeather.

"You can't leave me!" she wailed. She curled up as well as she could against the tom, licking his chest fur. Blood welled at the wound, but was slowly fading.

"he's in the paws of StarClan now. It's their decision" a voice whispered.

A gray she-cat appeared in front of Toadstep.

"Ferncloud?" the tom whispered.


	7. Chapter 7- Ferncloud

**I feel so bad for not updating for a long time..a moon and a day! I feel so bad, I had major writer's block, and school. So…on to the story!**

"No!"he wailed, "I can't be dead!"

"You aren't my dear" another voice murmured and a gray she-cat limped out, along with a ginger tom.

"Firestar!" he gasped with surprise. The tom nodded.

"Please!" he begged, "Let me go back."The three cats gathered together and muttered between themselves. Firestar turned and looked at Toadstep.

"You can go back" he started, "If you tell Leafpool that Cinderpelt and I say that we are proud of her, give Dustpelt and the kits love from Ferncloud, and tell Graystripe, Bramblestar, Sandstorm, Squirrelflight and her kits that I say hello." With that, they began to fade away.

"Brackenfur, go get Jayfeather" Fernfeather snapped

"No!" the golden tom hissed, holding his paw off the ground, "I just sprained my paw. How about Dewpaw gets him" Dewpaw nodded and pelted off.

He skidded into camp, "Jayfeather! Daisy!" he yowled and stood in camp, "Toadstep is about to die!" A cream she-cat looked out and slithered from the medicine cat's den followed by Jayfeather.

"The ridge" he meowed and plunged out of the den.

The cats arrived and sent Fernfeather off. She padded back to camp, moving slowly.

"Dad!" she called out as she entered the camp.

Bramblestar looked down from Highledge before bounding down.

"Hey" he purred, "How are you?"

"Good" she mewed back. He nodded

"I have to go check the borders" he mewed and padded off.

She sat down to lick her chest fur and moaned, before falling over. Ripples passed along her flank, and she shrieked for help.

**Yea…284 words….it bad….I know. I still have writer's block. PM me any ideas!**


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